Math Problem Statement
A movie star, unwilling to give his age, posed the following riddle to a gossip columnist. “Seven years ago, I was eleven times as old ad my daughter. Now I am four times as old as she is.” How old is the star?
Solution
Let the movie star's current age be and his daughter's current age be .
Step 1: Set up the equations
-
Seven years ago:
- The star's age was .
- His daughter's age was .
- At that time, the star says, "I was eleven times as old as my daughter":
-
Now:
- The star says, "I am four times as old as my daughter":
Step 2: Solve the system of equations
Equation 1:
Expand the right-hand side: Simplify:
Equation 2:
Step 3: Substitute Equation B into Equation A
Substitute from Equation B into Equation A: Simplify:
Step 4: Solve for
Substitute into Equation B:
Conclusion
The movie star is 40 years old.
Would you like more details or have any questions?
Here are five related questions to explore further:
- How old was the star seven years ago?
- How old is the star's daughter now?
- How old was the daughter seven years ago?
- How do we solve the system of equations using substitution and elimination?
- What would happen if the age ratio seven years ago was different?
Tip: When solving word problems, clearly define variables for unknown quantities and set up equations based on the relationships described.
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Math Problem Analysis
Mathematical Concepts
Algebra
Systems of Linear Equations
Formulas
x - 7 = 11(y - 7)
x = 4y
Theorems
Substitution Method
Linear Equation Solving
Suitable Grade Level
Grades 8-10
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